This is easily one of the best engines around for city driving. The instant torque it serves up works perfectly for pulling out of driveways, squirting into traffic and otherwise negotiating all the various stop and go situations that go along with driving on crowded streets.
Then there's the fact that the same engine returns an easy 35mpg on the highway. And I say "easy" because that's this car's overall average over the roughly 16,000 miles we've driven it. On pure highway stints it no doubt returns even better numbers.
Made me wonder how Volkswagen is going to market the new Jetta hybrid. Should be interesting.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
tjpark01 says:
11:37 AM, 01/13/12
Just do the oil changes yourself, lest you wish the dealer to fook it up again.
stovt001 says:
04:05 PM, 01/13/12
"Made me wonder how Volkswagen is going to market the new Jetta hybrid."
"The new VW Jetta Hybrid. Because for some people, there just isn't a shade of beige beige enough."
firstwagon says:
09:50 PM, 01/13/12
It will get 35 on the hwy but only 25 around town.
A Prius wil get mid 40's easy all around. Still wondering?
bodyblue says:
06:56 AM, 01/14/12
Why drive a stinky particulate-mobile when one can drive a REALLY clean Hybrid?
stov +100
cml says:
08:16 AM, 01/14/12
why doesn't VW do a diesel hybrid.
bodyblue says:
10:20 AM, 01/14/12
cml@ Probably cost is one of the factors. Diesel engines are more expensive to produce and if you add the hybrid in the cost then you have a 26K Jetta. And the fact is that diesels are dirtier despite all of the "clean" diesel propaganda.
toastblows says:
12:38 PM, 01/16/12
toyota had a 90 mpg diesel hybrid prototype around 2002. Exxon mobil must have gotten wind of it, because its faded into a distant memory since then ;)
al2travel says:
01:16 PM, 01/17/12
Good luck in trading or selling your hybrid in the future!
Don't think even the eco-warriors will be too interested in the future costs of battery replacement and assorted electrical issues!
The old TDI will just be getting broken nt when the hybrid is ready for the recyclers!
matt_a says:
12:36 PM, 01/25/12
@bodyblue - I always see you here on these boards saying how 'dirty' modern diesels are. I think you're just a hybrid fanboi.
@Ed - That seems low for the highway mileage on a TDI motor. You should be getting at least low 40's out of it. I filled my '01 today and got 46mpg. I wouldn't think the new ones were THAT much worse.
bricknord says:
09:52 AM, 01/31/12
Not understanding how my TDI Jetta of 10 years ago routinely averaged in the low to mid 40's MPG and the cars of today do mid 30's. My clapped out 150k mile Saturn SL2 got 33 average on the last tank. 35 overall out of a modern diesel completely unimpresses.